Infant Crib Safety Mattress

ABSTRACT

An infant crib safety mattress is disclosed comprising a mattress body having a sleeping area defined by a largely flat surface, the sleeping area bounded by an upsloping border region that is angled upwards at a defined angle to prevent a child from wedging against or entangling with the crib rails, while also eliminating the need for crib bumper pads. The transition between the sleeping area and the sloping border is an upward angle less than perpendicular, eliminating any sharp transitions or locations where an infant may become wedged. The internal structure of the mattress includes a uniform filler material or a coil-spring system, as desired by the user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/602,350 filed on Feb. 23, 2012, entitled “Safety Crib Mattress With Integrated Bumper Sides.” The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to mattresses and child safety devices. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a child crib safety mattress having an elevated peripheral edge and a sloping border to prevent a child from wedging between the mattress and the side railings of a crib.

An infant crib accessory and bedding article that has come under scrutiny for its link to infant deaths is the crib bumper pad. Crib bumper pads are elongated pillows that span the length of the crib and are positioned along the corner interface between the crib mattress and the crib side rails. These pads either rest along this interface or include tie laces to secure the pad firmly against the crib structure. The pads are utilized for a number of reasons, some of which are intended to benefit the infant child, while others are adapted to fulfill a purely decorative function. The utility of a bumper pad device includes the ability to fit over and conceal the gap between the crib mattress peripheral edge and the crib rails, thereby preventing a baby from falling therebetween and becoming trapped or injured. Another supposed benefit of these pads includes providing a barrier between the child and the crib rails so as to prevent the child from forcing their heads between two adjacent rails, whereby the pad has sufficient height to prevent this event. Finally, bumper pads are popular because they provide a decorative bedding article that some parents deploy for aesthetic reasons, matching the pad with the bedding and the environment of the room. However, recent studies have revealed a link between the use of bumper pads and infant suffocation, making their use and sale highly controversial.

While providing utility and having decorative value, traditional bumper pads have been shown to be dangerous for infants sleeping within a crib. Most bumper rails allow a child to become trapped beneath the pillow as it is positioned against the rail. Other cases involve the pillow coming loose from the rail and creating a suffocation risk. Further still, those that deploy a tie string can pose a strangulation risk to the infant. Cases of infant suffocation and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) have been linked to these bumper pads, as a baby entangles itself with the bumper pad while sleeping and is physically unable to free itself therefrom. The benefits of deploying traditional bumper pads, therefore, are greatly outweighed by the risks. While there still exists a chance of the infant positioning itself directly against the crib rails, contemporary thinking is that removing clutter and bumper pads from the infant crib is safer than the alternative.

The present invention is herein disclosed as a remedy that prevents an infant from resting against the crib rails while asleep and prevents the child from trapping itself as a result. Disclosed is a new infant mattress having an outer border that ramps upward from a center resting surface. The resting surface is centrally located on the mattress and provides an area for the infant to sleep, while the perimeter edge of the mattress is raised and the transition between the sleeping area and the edge is a gradual slop to avoid any discontinuities or hard corners that could pose a suffocation risk to the child. Therefore, the present invention is disclosed as a structure that provides the utility of bumper rails and without the inherent suffocation risks.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to infant crib mattresses. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications, and generally relate to mattresses having a recessed area within a defined border, the border being a large step that creates an internal corner for the child to trap itself and expose itself to a suffocation hazard. The present invention provides a gradual border that does not make any sharp transitions, providing a perimeter bolster elevated above the sleeping area that does not create an infant suffocation risk. The following is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,817 to Carew discloses a mattress system that is convertible from a bolstered mattress having a defined border to one that resembles a conventional, flat mattress for everyday use. The device, when deployed with the side bolsters, provides children with a boundary around the perimeter of the bed such that they stay relatively in place within the middle of the mattress while sleeping. The sleeping area is a defined recess, while the lateral sides of the mattress have raised bolsters that continue into the head and foot region of the mattress. The Carew device provides a mattress having a similar intent as that described by the present; however the present invention provides a gradual ramp leading to the crib rails for the child to rest against rather than a step. The goal of the present invention is not to enclose the child within an interior cavity, and it is further a goal to remove corner intersections where an infant may inadvertently force themselves into. The corner region of the Carew device creates a suffocation hazard, as the step transition between the border and the sleeping area can entrap an infant who may not be able to remove itself once positioned thereagainst. The present invention provides a gradual transition with raised edges, not a step transition that can be hazardous to infants.

Similar to the Carew device is U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,140 to Koessler, which discloses a portable infant protective bed having a frame and upstanding, rigid wall members that form a recessed portion within which an infant sleeps. A sleeping pad is placed within the recessed portion, while a pressure sensitive switch is deployed along the upper portion of the upstanding wall members. The switch sends out an audible or vibratory signal when closed, such that an adult sleeping next to the infant bed is awoken in the event he or she rolls over thereonto. The device is deployed to prevent an adult from rolling over onto the infant and suffocating or otherwise injuring the young child. Similar to the Carew device, however, the Koessler device provides a structure having a recessed cavity and interior corner intersections that are prone to allow an infant to become trapped therein or be forced thereinto. This recess corner is a suffocation hazard that is eliminated with respect to the present invention. The present invention is further directed for use in an infant crib, therefore a means of notification is not desired.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,779 to Kaufman discloses a mattress for baby cribs that comprises a mattress area, hinge members projecting from the lower part of the mattress and along its peripheral edges, and fastening members for securing the hinge members to the crib rails. The hinge members form flaps extending from the peripheral edge of the mattress to form an open box structure, where the flaps are upstanding members supported against the vertical crib rails. The Kaufman device, as with the aforementioned devices, provides a sharp interior corner between the hinge members and the mattress. This corner creates an area where the infant may become trapped and be at risk of suffocating. The Kaufman device is indeed an infant crib bumper pad attached to the mattress. The present invention provides a gradually upsloping border edge of a mattress to raise the perimeter edge of the mattress and form sloped bumpers without creating an interface or corner that poses risks to the infant therein.

The present invention describes a new and novel infant bed with an upsloping and angled border to prevent the child from rolling or trapping itself between the crib rails and an otherwise flat crib mattress. The central portion of the present mattress provides a flat sleeping area that transitions into a sloping border along the sides and ends of the mattress, wherein the outer peripheral edge of the mattress is elevated above the sleeping area and the surface of the mattress has no sharp corners or discontinuities as it transitions to the border region. This provides an infant crib mattress that promotes sleeping within the middle of the mattress and one that eliminates potential suffocation sources from the crib in the event the child rolls over towards the crib rails. All geometric corner features that would otherwise entrap the head and body of an infant are eliminated from the present invention in favor of a gradually sloped border. It is submitted that the present invention is substantially divergent in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing infant safety crib devices and infant crib mattresses. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of infant crib mattress now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new mattress and infant crib safety device that can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when deploying a mattress that accomplishes the same positive functions of a mattress and bumper pad, without the inherent risks to the child and without requiring two separate assemblies.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved infant safety crib mattress that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an infant safety crib mattress that provides a sloping border region that prevents a child from banging against or trapping itself against the rails of the crib.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bumper pad replacement that is built into the structure of the mattress and performs the positive functions of the bumper pad without its inherent risks and drawbacks.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an infant safety crib mattress that prevents an infant from contacting the crib rails while sleeping, and providing such protection without compromising the safety of the infant or exposing the infant to a suffocation risk.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an infant safety crib mattress having no defined corner regions or sharp discontinuities that pose a entrapment risk to an infant.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an infant safety crib mattress that may include different internal structures for supporting the infant in a comfortable and supportive manner, as is customarily found in mattresses in the art.

A final object of the present invention is to provide an infant safety crib mattress that can be produced in a number of different sizes and shapes to accommodate different crib dimensions, and further provide a bordered mattress for use in elevated bunk beds and beds used beyond infancy if desired.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention and a view of the structure of the borders.

FIG. 2 shows an overhead perspective view of the present invention deployed within an infant crib.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section view of an embodiment of the mattress internal structure.

FIG. 4 shows a cross section view of another embodiment of the mattress internal structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the infant safety crib mattress that. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for preventing an infant within a crib from harming itself in the night through contact with the railings of a crib, while also providing the protection without exposing the child to a suffocation risk. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the safety mattress of the present invention and a close-up view of the cross section of the sloping border that spans the perimeter of the mattress. The device provides a means to keep an infant within the center of the bed while sleeping and acts to prevent the infant from rolling against the rails of the crib, which can trap the child and pose a risk to the child's health if he or she is very young and unable to dislodge him or herself. The device further prevents an infant from pressing his or her head against the rails of the crib by having an elevated border, thereby functioning as a bumper pad but without the inherent risk of bumper pad and without deploying separate assemblies.

The device comprises a mattress body 11 having a largely flat sleeping surface or sleeping area 16 that supports a sleeping or resting child thereon in a comfortable and supportive manner. The sleeping area 16 transitions from a planar surface and into a sloped border 14, whereby the border surface 14 is angled upwards in a gradual slope. The intersection 15 of the border surface 14 and the sleeping area 16 is one having a defined angle that is significantly less than perpendicular, preferably between forty-five and seventy-five degrees but not limited thereto. This prevents creation of a nook or corner along the mattress for an infant to wedge or pin itself unknowingly in its sleep. By making a gradual transition 15 and a gradual sloping border surface 14, the infant can rest against the border 14 without becoming trapped, while still prevented from coming into contact with the crib rails unintentionally in the night.

The sloped border surface 14 extends upwards at an angle and terminates at an upper peripheral edge 19 that defines the high point of the mattress 11 and the height of the mattress with respect to the crib rails. The edge 19 transitions to the sides 12 and ends 13 of the mattress, which extend vertically downward to establish the depth of the mattress before connecting to the mattress underside surface 18. The interior 17 of the mattress, including the interior of the sleeping area 16 and the border region, may comprise a foam mattress material, a combination foam and spring mattress system, or some other material type or material combination of known mattress stuffing material commonly deployed in the art of child and adult mattresses.

Referring now to FIG. 2. there is shown an overhead perspective view of the present infant safety mattress 11 in a working position within the interior of a crib. Most cribs include upstanding side railings 21 and end railings 22 that form an open box structure having a box spring or lower surface upon which to place a crib mattress 11 thereon. When deployed, the present mattress 11 fits within the confines of the crib railings 21, 22 and provides an open and flat sleeping area 16 within the middle of the crib for which an infant or young child to sleep. A common occurrence in normal cribs is the tendency for the child to roll or pin himself against the rails 24 of the railings during the night, or further to force themselves within the openings 25 between the rails 24. To prevent this occurrence, and further to prevent a parent from resorting to the use of bumper pads, the present mattress 11 includes an upsloping border 14 that surrounds the sleeping area 11 to prevent a child from rolling against the rails 24.

The upsloping borders 14 are angled such that a child cannot easily roll against the rails while sleeping, and therefore is prevented from leaving the sleeping area 16. The upper edge 19 of the borders is further not high enough to allow a child to stand thereon and step over the upper side 26 or end rail 23 of the crib and exit without assistance. There remains a considerable height difference between the upper edge 19 of the mattress border and the upper rails. Further still, the internal structure of the borders may not support a standing child thereon to permit such behavior in children at the age in which they are able to stand and attempt escape from the crib.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there are shown two cross section views of the present infant safety mattress of the present invention, wherein a first and second embodiment of the mattress internal structure is visualized. The mattress structure may take several forms, depending on the desires and price point of the mattress. Some users may prefer a foam-filled or uniform filler material 17, while others may prefer a spring mattress interior 31 having a plurality of spring coils 32 for supporting a child on the sleeping area 16. In either embodiment, it is contemplated that the bumper borders 14 are comprised of a cushion or singular fill material 17, allowing the sides 12 and border surface 14 to conform to the interior of the crib and comfortably support a child within the sleeping area 16.

Some parents and caregivers use bumper pads in their baby's crib as a way to prevent their baby from hitting his or her head along the rails of the bed. However, bumper pads pose a suffocation risk to infants as they sleep and become wedged beneath or entangled with the pad. Their faces can become covered by the pad and the lack of strength prevents the infant from otherwise freeing itself. However, without any type of padding, infants can injure themselves or become caught within the vertical crib rails of the crib. With and without bumper pads, there exists a chance that the infant will be exposed to harm. To prevent the use of bumper pads as a remedy to contact with the crib rails, the present invention is herein provided, wherein the elevated and sloping border of the disclosed mattress prevents the infant from contacting the crib rails while also eliminating the risk of suffocation caused by bumper pads. The gradual slop and the transition between the mattress sleeping area and the adjoining border further prevents sharp corner regions that can allow a child to wedge itself therein, as is seen in the crib mattresses of the prior art.

It is submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) An infant crib safety mattress, comprising: a mattress body having a largely flat sleeping area, an upsloping border region bounding said sleeping area, a first and second mattress end, a first and second mattress side, a mattress underside surface, and an internal mattress structure; said border extending angularly upward from said sleeping area at an intersection defined by said sleeping area boundary; said angle between said flat sleeping area and said upsloping border at said intersection being less than perpendicular to prevent an infant from wedging into said intersection and preventing said infant from resting against crib rails; said internal mattress structure adapted to support an individual on said sleeping area. 2) The device of claim 1, wherein said internal mattress structure further comprises a uniform filler material. 3) The device of claim 1, wherein said internal mattress structure further comprises a combination coil spring structure and filler material, said coil spring structure below said sleeping area for supporting said individual, while said filler material filling said border region. 